Vault-head.



A. W. KURZ.

VAULT HEAD.

APPLICATION PILED NOV. 4, 1911.

Patented Mar.25,1913.1

2 5:] vwe nfoz 215421 AUGUST w. KURZ, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

VAULT-HEAD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 4, 1911.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

Serial No. 658,461.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, AUcUs'r W. KURZ, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Bronx, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVault- Heads, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in structures of that class, employed in connection with subterranean vaults; the said structures being commonly known as vault heads.

The objects of this invention are to provide a structure of the character mentioned, which shall be simple and inexpensive as regards construction; durable, efiicient and reliable in practical service; which shall embody elements whereby are secured important results in connection with the displaceable lid made use of, particularly its application to, and displacement from the remainder of the structure; and which shall possess certain well defined advantages over prior analogous structures.

The invention consists in the novel disposition and relative arrangement of the various cooperating parts thereof, whereby the attainment of the above objects are rendered practicable, in certain combinations; and in certain details of construction all of which will be specifically referred to hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims. The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like referencenumerals designate like parts throughout the several views and, in said drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a vault head embodying my said improvements, the lid made use of occupying its normalposition and a portion of said vault head in the upper right hand corner being broken away to more clearly show the construction thereof. Fig. 2 is a View of a vertical section taken on line A. A. in Fig. 1, showing also in dotted-dash lines the displaced position of the lid and means for retaining the said lid in said position. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a slightly modified form of the lid; and Fifg. 4; is a view looking at Fig. 3 toward the le t.

In a general sense and preferable form my invention comprises a main member having therein an aperture, a hood which I shall hereinafter refer to as the keeper conjoined therewith spanning a portion of said aperture and a lid, the latter normally spanning the remainder of said aperture; the said lid being at all times loosely interlocked with the vault head for a displacing movement.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 2 designates the main member, 3 the lid made use of, said lid approximating the form of a grate or, otherwise, as conditions may warrant, and 4 indicates the sides and top, and 4 the back of a keeper comprising the remaining portion of said vault head. 4 and'l are preferably bolted together by the bolts 55 as shown. In the particular form of construction illustrated the main member 2 is cast in one piece with substantially vertical sides and a circular base which is adapted to rest on the masonry of the vault when in service.

In the corners adjacent the front side of the main member and cast integral therewith are the lugs 66 which support the front end of the lid in its normal position. The opposite or rear end of the lid being pivotally hung in the sockets 8 8 formed on the inner sides of the keeper. The pivots 77, retained in the said sockets for thus supporting the rear end of the lid are shown integral with the arms 99 which in turn are cast integral with the lid 3. Manifestly to avoid taking up more space than absolutely necessary it might be desirable to make the arms 99 with pivot ends, of steel straps suitably bent, and riveted or bolted to the lid.

The keeper as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is made of two parts, 4: comprising the front part thereof, normally adjacent the lid,having a side opening 4; toward the portion of the main member spanned by the lid. The said side opening serving as an intake for the water to be received by the particular form of vault head illustrated and also at the same time serving for an additional purpose which will be hereinafter referred to. The width of the side opening at in the keeper as shown is equal to the width of the aperture in the main member spanned by the lid.

The sockets 8-8 for the reception of pivots 77 are preferably cast on the inside of the side walls of part 4 of the keeper. These sockets are S shaped, the opening of the sockets being at the rear.

On the back 4: of the keeper, and integral therewith are ears 10-10 which project inwardly to a distance sufficient to close the open ends of the sockets 88 when theback 4 is in position. Through these ears pass the bolts 55 which connect the back 4 to the sides of the main part 4: of the keeper.

5 By this construction when the back at is in place, the ends ofthe ears 10 close the sockets, thus retaining the pivots always in place.

The keeper is secured in any suitable man- 10 nor as by bolts 12 to the main member of the vault head.

In assembling the vault head, the lid and part 4 of the keeper, are first placed in their respective normal positions on the main 15 member and lastly the back 4 of the keeper is secured in its position. The main part i, of the keeper manifestly may be secured by bolting or other means to the main member of the vault head before or after the back 4 is secured thereto. After being thus assembled it will be understood that it is impossible to detach the lid from the vault head Without disturbing the keeper.

To remove the lid in order to provide access to the vault in connection with which the Vault head is used, the lid must be lifted. In so doing the lid is swung rotatively on the pivots 77 until the said motion is arrested. by the front side of the keeper.

During this lifting of the lid it will be seen the arms 99 are allowed freedom of passage in their change of position in the keeper, for which purpose the said side opening 4: in the keeper is made use of in addition to the purpose thereof, hereinbefore referred to. It may be readily understood from the drawing (Fig. 2) that by locating the sockets 88 and corresponding pivots therein nearer the front side of the keeper the lid may be thrown back far enough in its displaced position so that its center of gravity will be back of the front side of the keeper and thus by so locating the said sockets and pivots the lid may be caused to remain by its own weight in its displaced position. Such an effect, however, is not considered so desirable as the one illustrated in the view referred to wherein the lid, shown in its displaced position by dotted lines, will fall back into its normal position unless supported by some extraneous force as by the bar 13; and wherein also in this illustration it will be observed the sockets 88, and the corresponding pivots ofthe lid retained therein, are so located with respect to the front side of the keeper that the center of gravity of the lid cannot be passed rearward beyond the planeof the front side of the keeper. The advantage of the latter arrangement as illustrated is that it serves as aguard against the vault head being left open. That is, in practice it would at all times require holding the lid in its displaced position while access is being had to the vault and, in leaving the vault the vault head will always be closed. Another important advantage of my construction arises from the fact that one side of the lid, in its normal position, is supported beneath the keeper or hood. If the pivot support is out- 7 side of the keeper and unprotected by it, the

wheels of thepassing vehicles may tend to turn the lid; to depress one side and raise the other, but in my construction the seat for the pivot and of the lid being always covered no passing vehicle can thus turn the lid upon its pivot,

In the modified form of lid illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 the arms 9 are provided at their ends with eyes 9 through which the rod 14 passes which in turn is secured in the keeper of the vault head. The rod 14 may be loosely or rigidly secured in the vault head accordingly as the eyes 9 are rigidly or loosely secured to the said rod. It will be understood that instead of having a number of arms 9 as shown, one arm will serve as well, though in this case the bearing of the eye 9 should be increased, and some means be provided for preventing a lateral shifting of the lid along the rod l t.

I do not desire to limit myself to the particular forms of structure shown for the reason that a considerable variation in the detailed construction of my invention may be indulged in without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vault head, a lid spanning the aperture therein, a keeper on the head at one side of said lid under which the lid projects, and a bearing normally under and protected by said keeper on which the projection of said lid is pivotally supported and means within the keeper to lock said head to said keeper to prevent the withdrawal of said lid, but permitting it to be rotated on the projection of said lid.

2. A vault head comprising a. main member formed with a hood, a lid, means for loosely interlocking the lid with said main member for a rotary vertical displacing movement, the forward edge. of the hood projecting forward of the center of rotation and into the path of the lid and preventing it being raised beyond the Vertical.

3. A vault head comprising a main member formed with an opening therein, a hood connected to said main member and cover ing a. port-ion of the opening therein, a lid to cover the'remaining portion of said opening, and means for pivotally interlocking the lid'to the hood.

4:. A vault head having a hood, a lid, and means for loosely connecting said lid to said hood for a vertical rotative engagement therewith, the said hood projecting forward of the point of rotation of the lid and pre- 130 0 venting the lid from being raised to a vertical position, and means on the hood to prevent the withdrawal of the lid therefrom, substantially as described.

5. A vault head comprising a main frame provided with an aperture, a hood spanning a portion of the aperture, a lid spanning the remainder of the aperture, means for loosely connecting the lid with the frame beneath the hood for a rotary displacing movement, and means on the hood for preventing the withdrawal of the lid from the hood.

6. A vault head comprising a main frame provided with a hood, a lid provided with upwardly projecting arms extending into said hood, means for pivotally connecting the upper ends of said arms to the inner sides of the hood above the normal level of the lid, means to retain said pivotal connections whereby the lid will at all times be loosely interlocked with the hood for an upward displacing movement and the forward edge of the hood will prevent the lid being lifted to a vertical position.

7. A vault head comprising a main member formed with an aperture, a hood per-. manently spanning a portion of said aperture, a lid loosely spanning the remaining portion of said aperture, means for pivotally connecting the lid to the inner sides of the hood above the normal level of the lid, whereby said lid may have an upward swinging movement, the forward edge of the hood preventing the lid being swung to its full vertical position.

8. A vault head comprising a main member formed with an aperture therethrough, a hood secured to said main member and spanning a portion of said aperture, a lid normally spanning the remaining portion of said aperture, said lid having upwardly projecting arms extending into said hood, means for pivoting said arms within said hood, whereby the lid may be raised from the aperture in the main member and removable means for retaining the ends of said arms within the hood, whereby said lid will be prevented from withdrawal from the hood.

9. A vault head made in a number of sections, a lid for spanning the same, a projecting bearing on said lid for rotative engagement with the said vault head, and sockets in said vault head for the reception of said bearing, the said sockets being made in parts; one of the parts being on one section of the head and the other part on an adjacent section said sockets being adapted to be completed when the said sections are brought together.

10. In a.vault head having a lid spanning the same, a hood having two sides anda back made separate therefrom, a projecting bearing on said lid, rearwardly opening sockets on said sides of the hood for the reception of said bearing, the said back piece of the hood closing said sockets when joined with said sides, substantially as described.

11. In a vault head, a lid for spanning the same, a hood made in sections, projecting bearings on said lid, sockets open at one end on one section of the hood, and the adjacent section of the hood being adapted to close and complete said sockets when joined to the other section.

12. In a vault head, a lid spanning the same, a hood having two sides and a back made separate therefrom, projecting bearings on said lid, rearwardly opening sockets on the sides of said hood for the reception of said bearings, ears on the said back for projecting inwardly to close the open ends of the sockets, and bolts passing through said ears for joining the said back to the sides of said hood, substantially as described.

13. A vault head comprising a main frame having a hood, a lid, means for pivotally connecting the lid to the hood on the inner side thereof and the hood locking the lid to the main frame.

14. A vault head comprising a main member, a lid having a projecting bearing for rotative movement with the head, sockets for the reception of said bearing, said sockets being made in two parts adapted to be separated to remove said bearing therefrom, and a hood secured to the main mem ber and limiting the upward movement or swing of the lid.

15. A vault head comprising a horizontal main member provided with an entrance opening, a hood covering a portion of said opening, and a lid covering the remainder of said opening, said lid being pivotally connected to the hood above the main member.

16. A vault head comprising a main member formed with a hood and a lid pivotally mounted in the hood above the main member.

17. A vault head comprising a main member formed with an entrance opening, a hood covering a part of said opening, a lid covering the remainder of said opening, said lid being pivotally mounted and loosely interlocked with the hood.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST W. KURZ. Witnesses:

F. R. MILLER, L. MAGUIRE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

